Many fans felt footage of trophy hunting reflected poorly on Arsenal, and Stan Kroenke has – seemingly to the barely hidden chagrin of Outdoor Sportsman Group CEO Jim Liberatore, instructed them to remove such content from the channel.

In a statement released this morning, Liberatore said:

While many on both sides of this issue have made their voices heard, and this content is only available through paid subscriptions, Stan Kroenke has directed us to remove all content related to those animals in light of the public interest.

Notwithstanding the decision, it is imperative that all stakeholders understand three facts.

First, Outdoor Sportsman Group properties operate independently from unrelated companies that our parent owns – as do all of the parent’s other business and sports interests. Arsenal Football Club has nothing to do with any of our media outlets. It has nothing to do with our content or the decisions we make. We deserve no credit when an Arsenal striker scores a goal. Arsenal deserves no criticism when we offer a program with which some disagree.

Second, we have made our content decisions independently of our parent company. Our parent had no input into these past decisions, and they have none now. All those who value the freedom of media outlets to set their own editorial courses should both recognise and respect this. We are grateful our parent gives us this freedom.

Even so, in this one instance, Mr Kroenke directed us to make the changes explained above. He has a decades-long track record of environmental stewardship. We also take conservation seriously, and dedicate programming to this issue and anti-poaching efforts specifically.

Third, hunting and fishing enthusiasts turn to our programming because we serve their interests. They turn to our programming because we depict legal, fair-chase practices. We recognise our content is now for everyone, and we respect those alternative view points.

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No. It was Gazidis mopping up for him. In a few years that channel will be on the same level as Bayern TV.

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1 year ago

Gooooooooonnnnaaaaaaaaa

Everything about this disgusts me. This statement is is a joke and I genuinely don’t understand how it is legal to hunt endangered animals, or any animal for that matter! What a complete idiot Stan Kroenke is, he just doesn’t get it, and I don’t think he gives a f*** for that matter.

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1 year ago

Santi\'s Flip Flop

In order to fund many wildlife parks, they have to sell ‘fair chase’ hunts. They cost a massive amount and are one of the revenue streams into the park that then in turn goes on to fund anti-poaching and guarding programmes. It’s a sad but, currently, necessary evil.

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1 year ago

Eddie

And where does showing this on tv come in? You could let those animals chasing and shooting other animals do it over there without showing that on tv, couldn’t you? And there is no such thing as fair chase when you have high calibre guns and telescopes and the animals don’t

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1 year ago

PeteyB

Red thumbs ahoy.
I also generally disagree with hunting, but will also happily watch David Attenborough commentate on a pack of lions destroy a baby gazelle. Of course lions need to eat, and your average hunter doesnt, but ultimately Life is messy, suffering is everywhere and hunting is part of it. If revenues from far game hunts support conservation efforts then fine, and if TV money boosts those revenues then that’s fine too.

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1 year ago

Andy Mack

Just because you don’t understand how any hunting is legal doesn’t make it illegal. I don’t agree with it but it is legal and that’s that, unless you want to lobby governments to change the law.
I agree that Stan isn’t interested in hunting.
It’s just another business to him.

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1 year ago

Bould\'s Eyeliner

It’s a business that he chose to own. Seeing as he’s a billionaire from the American south, it’s highly likely he is interested, but unwilling to commit to the detriment of his main investments.

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1 year ago

Andy Mack

It’s a tiny part of a business that he chose to own.

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1 year ago

London

Now get on Usmanov for his human rights record. Yeah didn’t think you would

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1 year ago

Oberon

Who cares about humans!

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1 year ago

Bould\'s Eyeliner

Agreed, a religious culling of the population is due if we are to believe the Bible..

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1 year ago

kaius

Arseblog has written about the “moral quandary” regarding Usmanov’s dodgy background before, such as here (arseblog.com/2017/05/usmanov-bid-could-spark-others-to-come-forward-and-turbulent-times-at-board-level/).

It’s too easy to fall into the trap of “but what about…” trying to score easy points while derailing the issue at hand. Do your research first.

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1 year ago

London

Look at the headlines. Do not try and compare them at all. You shouldn’t try and score cheap points by changing the essence of my argument.

Im quite frankly tired that when animals are trophy hunting there is widespread uproar by white people yet when it comes to human rights the same can’t be said.

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1 year ago

Stringer Bell

By white people. Is that not racist ???

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1 year ago

London

White people (not all) are the only people who have the luxury of crying about animals being killed and being ignorant of what’s happening to other human beings.

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1 year ago

MYST

Massive generalization based purely on race, though privilege is predominately afforded to white people in many countries, race has minimal relation to exploitation of animals. I’m going to assume that what you were referring to was peoples from countries where killing/hunting animals for survival is their only option – Iceland? ;-). It is actually possible to care about humans as well as all the other animals on Earth. And let’s be honest: the whole world needs to go vegan (environmental and compassionate reasons) starting with those in the position of privilege (1st world countries). Big topic, could of rambled on further.. but we’re here to support Arsenal, so that’ll do it. Cheers.

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1 year ago

MYST

on refection.. that was a fairly mangled rant. Oh well 😛

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1 year ago

Danny

Yes it is racist. But it’s white Poole racist so it’s fine.

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1 year ago

Squiggle

London, you’re just wrong. Arseblog and many Arsenal fans have been very clear about not wanting Usmanov in charge.

There is, though, some difference:

1) Usmanov is only a minority shareholder. It’s a matter of not wanting someone in charge and knowing he isn’t in charge versus not wanting someone in charge and knowing he IS in charge.

More importantly

2) Arseblog simply can’t discuss all Usmanov has been accused of in the same way that he can discuss what Kroenke was very openly going to do. The latter is a plain fact; the former opens up all sorts of legal questions which are far beyond the site’s resources.

If you look through the world’s legal systems you’ll see that better animal rights tend to be found alongside better human rights. Animal and human rights are not in opposition.

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1 year ago

London

You need to do your research first. The link you provided showed nothing of the sort. I hate people who bring false information to try and discredit someone.

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1 year ago

kaius

In the article I linked to about Usmanov’s bid for full ownership, Arseblog wrote:

“I remain deeply wary of Usmanov who, right now, is viewed more kindly simply because he’s not Kroenke. The moral quandaries are, however, going to be part and parcel of football in the future.”

London, your comment suggests Arseblog has ignored issues surrounding Usmanov. You’re misinformed. Instead of hijacking the hunting issue to attack me or Arseblog, why didn’t you use this platform positively and further educate your fellow gooners about the issues?

Two sentences which only hint at moral issues in a very long article v Headline of news article dedicated solely to hunting issue.

My comment doesn’t suggest anything of the sort. My comment states if you are outraged by Kroenke’s trophy hunting channel you should be more outraged by Usmanov’s background. I love animals and would rather spend time with animals than humans but when you are more aggrieved by Kroenke’s actions than Usmanov’s you need to question your humanity.

You are lacking the small amount of intelligent required to understand this yet continue to insult me personally. I have no interest in you.

I educate every single day and work selflessly for others and have dedicated my life to do so. I don’t need to be told to change my speech for some anonymous ill-educated person on the internet.

You could easily tell arseblog to do more to educate on Usmanov’s practices yet you ask someone who doesn’t have an online platform to do so. That makes a lot of sense.

I have an opinion, its different to yours deal with it.

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1 year ago

MYST

Make your point, fine. But do it with insults and it overshadows anything else you are saying. Love is Earths only hope, be kind yeah.

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1 year ago

Crash Fistfight

Just in case you see this, London, Andrew has said on more than one occasion that Usmanov’s lawyer threatened him with legal action over content he had posted on the subject. I think that probably plays a part in him not going on a crusade against Usmanov.

I hope that has educated you some for today. Perhaps you could also educate yourself on not making racist generalisations in future.

Good day to you, Sir.

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1 year ago

OxdaFox

What would really be cool would be an international movement to boycott the World Cup based on the Russian international government/crime conglomerate and their damage to democracies worldwide. Now that would be a statement both powerful and influential.

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1 year ago

Rg21

The only democracy Russia damages is their own, making them a pariah state has never worked. The FA and UK gov should take a harder line with Switzerland/ FIFA to avoid handing out the World Cup based on bribery.

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1 year ago

Michael Bolton Wanderers

Yes and FIFA aren’t exactly angels either. But alas their product, the world cup, is simply too great to boycott

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1 year ago

Ulysses 32

Tu quoque : Whataboutism : appeal to hypocracy, whatever you would like to call it, it’s a classical logical fallacy. No matter what Usmanov is doing or has done, it’s got exactly zero to do with the fact that most right thinking individuals think trophy hunting is perpetrated by cunts. The international reaction to that american dentist cunt who shot the Lion would give that view credence.

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1 year ago

Crash Fistfight

In other news, I’m surprised you lot at Arseblog News haven’t posted about Arsenal becoming the first ‘green’ football club.

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1 year ago

gooner

We are still red and white.
Not the holding one though

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1 year ago

Harish P

That’s old news, Arsenal’s first green kit was the away one in the season of 1982-83.

Arseblog, slightly disappointed there was no gag about “trophy hunting” in relation to Arsenal, or lack thereof, if you get my drift. Although, I can see it may have been considered in bad taste.

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1 year ago

Harish P

Much like the hunting of endangered species, it would be overkill and unnecessary.

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1 year ago

MaliceMajorE15

People said the FA cup was an endangered species, cast aside beneath the more lucrative premier league.

Didn’t stop us hunting it down 3 of the past 4 seasons

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1 year ago

Sir Henry Norris\'s Brown Envelope

Not to mention the fact that we are The GUNNERS

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1 year ago

Subzero

Probably because he didn’t want to repeat the same Dad joke that was already told about 173 times here

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1 year ago

Chris

A sensible decision, the killing of wild animals and in some cases extremely endangered species just for gratification is just 100% wrong.

I can’t see a thrill in shooting a sentient being, whom people are not only killing for fun but whose habitat we are destroying, Isn’t that enough? Or do we stop when we have no animals, no trees, just a baron land full of bottom feeding vermin. Let’s just set it all on fire, kill all the animals then perhaps we’ll realise that we are totally retarded as the dominant race. This planet was beautiful but man’s lust for destruction is never going to change, if you want to kill a Lion, then fight it hand to hand, if you win you deserve that “trophy”, however when you don’t there is one less d*ckhead in the world.

Right, where’s Lemar at?

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1 year ago

Cannonball

And when he is fighting the lion, let somebody shoots him on his knee. -1 dickhead guaranteed.

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1 year ago

Oberon

Wait that’s not strictly true large Elephant populations end up destroying habitats for other animals due to the large amount they need to feed and the effect of trampling plants and uprooting trees. Also talking about fighting animals hand to hand is a retarded argument especially as the key weapons a human has is the use of tool and their mind. If you look at what happens in nature to most male lions even the more successful leaders of their pride end up dying alone of starvation or being ripped to shreds by a younger lion (who could well be their son). Nature isn’t like the Lion king where all animals are singing and dancing.
Bleating on in your pompous grandiose terms about your particular disgust for hunting brings nothing but ignorance and emotional codswallop to the debate. I’m not saying we should be systematically wiping out animals, or poaching or even condone this type of hunting but hey guess what some times animals do have to be killed.

let the thumb downs commence.

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1 year ago

Liam

Yes, far too many pompous, grandiose terms being used about shooting animals that’ll only die at some point anyway.

We should all stick to using words like “retarded” and stop the bleating

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1 year ago

kaius

Large elephant populations? They’re a vulnerable or endangered species that require responsible conservation efforts, not gun nuts flying halfway around the world to kill them for photo-ops or to create entertainment programmes that profit the filthy-rich.

Remember, it’s the world’s richest 10% who are responsible for over half of global carbon emissions. If anyone “destroys habitats”, it’s them.

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1 year ago

John Lukic

Well said Kaius.

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1 year ago

John Lukic

Oberon, it is not our place to do the killing, nature will take it’s course if we let it. Nature always has and always will. that is the law of nature.
This is why there is all the outrage.

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1 year ago

Andy Mack

What about where certain animals are starting to suffer from their-own over-population?
Are you saying that Deer shouldn’t be culled occasionally?

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1 year ago

Yankee Gooner

The overpopulation is directly related to the decimation of viable habitats, so.

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1 year ago

Andy Mack

That’s not always the case.
Historically there have always been sets of animals that have had population explosions which result in them outgrowing their ‘natural unhindered by humans’ habitat and suffering as a result.

But even if that’s the case most of the time, are you suggesting we leave animals to suffer in their new ‘restricted habitat’?

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1 year ago

Deezer

What a complete crock of shit. #Kroenkeout

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1 year ago

49er

‘we recognise our content is now for everyone’…. Your typo or theirs?

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1 year ago

Harish P

It should say “not” in case anyone is unsure.

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1 year ago

Goodstuff

Still, owning and making money out of a channel that glorifies killing animals, whether they are endangered or not, reveals an unscrupulous and, in my opinion, immoral side to the owner of the club I love. You can’t whitewash a turd.

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1 year ago

Northerngooner

While I agree with you, morality and professional football parted ways a long long time ago.

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1 year ago

Goodstuff

Growing up I was always proud of Arsenal. Just because things are the way they are doesn’t make it okay. Doesn’t mean you shouldn’t call it out when you see it.

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1 year ago

Crash Fistfight

What happened to those crusty white turds you used to get, years ago? Ah, those were the days…

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1 year ago

AlmaGooner

Can we hunt Tottenham fans instead??

Furthermore, as previously mentioned, wouldn’t there be a joke in there about hunting for a ‘trophy’ ???
Maybe I have rubbish humour….

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1 year ago

Arsene\'s zip

“fair-chase practices”? I thought the humans had guns.

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1 year ago

gooner1981

I think they mean fair-chase as opposed to canned hunting, which is basically just lining up a wild (endangered) animal in an outdoor enclosure and shooting it

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1 year ago

Gutbukkit Deffrolla

Ah, running it to exhaustion from the back of landrovers and then shooting it where it falls, you mean?

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1 year ago

BigTA78

This Jim Liberatore sounds like a bit of a c*nt. We should maybe hire him for future transfer and contract negotiations.

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1 year ago

Kostas Greek Gooner

If they operate independently how the parent “directed” them?

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1 year ago

A P

Can you read the entire damned passage??

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1 year ago

ScotchEggsRule

How can a, supposedly, intelligent man have misjudged a situation so badly?

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1 year ago

Andy Mack

If you’re referring to Stan, I doubt he knew anything about it before now.

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1 year ago

Serpent

It’s only “fair” if the humans are unarmed or using Stone Age spears.

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1 year ago

The sead was great

Don’t do things that make you seem human! It conflicts my hatred!

I’m pretty sure he’ll nick money from the coffers soon to even things out

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1 year ago

Del boy

Good. But you can still do one Stan

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1 year ago

Cliff Bastin

If there’s clearer proof that Stan reads Arseblog then I haven’t found it.

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1 year ago

Zeus99xx

Liberatore, sounds like a dick who wanted to be a law unto himself.

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1 year ago

BigTA78

A Dick Law unto himself?

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1 year ago

Isaiah Rankin

Still a cunt.

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1 year ago

kaius

“Arsenal Football Club has nothing to do with any of our media outlets.”

Yes it does mate, the owner of your parent company is our majority shareholder and KSE is represented on Arsenal’s board. Otherwise you wouldn’t have issued this poor excuse for a PR message.

Of course Jim Liberatore has a photo of himself with Trump on his twitter feed, so it’s no surprise that he has an on-off relationship with the truth.

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1 year ago

yen

I was just waiting for him to drop the “Arsenal Soccer Club” thing

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1 year ago

Vonnie

A small victory. You can’t stop some people from doing vile things, but at least we could stop them from glorifying their behaviour and spreading their disgusting ideas to a wider audience.

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1 year ago

Goontang

Sounds like a statement from a child being forced to apologize because his mother told him too, yet feels completely in the right for being a little cunt.

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1 year ago

Leon

A shame really.
It was the only thing about Arsenal this summer that was even remotely interesting.
Certainly much more interesting than the laughably pathetic attempt from Arsenal and Wenger to show some ambition this summer.

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1 year ago

Gutbukkit Deffrolla

Don’t you dare cheer when Lacazette scores. You’ve already written him off. By your own words are you proven guilty. You have given up the right to celebrate his goals alongside the rest of us.

I have spoken.
It shall be so.

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1 year ago

Glocken

Just shows what we can do when many voices are put together, well done everyone. Now let’s start singing ‘Kroenke Out’ every game…

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1 year ago

Gunnerjoe

Good
Now can we move on 4 days of Stan Kroenke’s TV channel Stan Kroenke is not Arsenal.
You have to wonder what he was smoking to think the UK would buy into he’s hunting defenceless animals TV station.
How can we get all those fishing programs taken of the air.

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1 year ago

A different George

I think this shows how protest and popular opinion can, at least sometimes and at least to some degree, force change on those who seem to hold all the power. I think that is significant.

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1 year ago

Eddie

The statement is way too defiant and cocky. Stan, a head needs to roll here

After trying (quite ludicrously in my opinion) to hang him out to dry for this most spurious of reasons (the content is unpleasant, but trying to condemn *him* for it in some meaningful way has been a bit cringeworthy) he ought to get some credit for making this demand in response. He could easily have dismissed the outcry as the irrelevance (to him) that it was, but instead he listened and very surprisingly ensured that the outcry was adhered to and resolved. Admirable.

Now if he can do the same regarding his ownership of the club too, even better lad.

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1 year ago

Original Paul

Well done Stan now announce Lemar please? 🙂

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1 year ago

Original Paul

It’s a mad fest when football fans get steered into animal rights issues! I like Arsenal. 🙂

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1 year ago

DB10**

Lawyer speak.
Here I am apologising even though I did not have to.
I have never done anything wrong and will always do what is right.
Dont expect this sort of thing again.
Thanks and Goodbye. (mumbles profanity)